Food product.



FRANK H. BRYANT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FOOD PRODUCT.

No Drawing.

'1 '0 all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, Faaxn H. BRYANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angclcs, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement, in Food Products,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a product produced by treating edible plants having spines or thorns, so that they can be eaten without danger.

The specific plant to which the process is herein described as being applied is the cactus. The varieties of cacti which have spines are generally those which are best liked by cattle and poultry. Such plants, ho\vever .'are protected in their natural state against being eaten, by the spines. Other natural varieties which have few or no spines are objectionable as food because of 'their l'righlyaici-id and nauseating juices. Certain spineless hybrid plants are diflicult to propa ate and are not as desirable to stock an poultry as food as the varieties having spines.

-The'in 1portant features of my process consist in the treatment to overcome the acrid and bitter taste, and also the removal of the spines and b'urs.

Cactus. has been prepared as a food for cattle by burning off the spines. This process does not always completely remove the spines, resulting in the cattle having sore mouths and in puncturing of the intestines.

It has been proposed to pull out the spines from the fresh lcat by physical means. lVhen this is done,- a small bur is left attached to the fiber at the root of thespine. This bur is almost invisible, but causes the same trouble as the spine. By my process I remove the burs as well as the spine.-

It has also been proposed to soften the spines by disintegrating the cactus and permitting the spines to soak in' the juice of the plant. However, the spines are not appreciably softened by this method.

Cacti have leaves with fibers extending the length thereof, to which fibers relatively large spines are firmly attached. Between the fibers and secured to the fleshy part of the leaves are small spines.

Cactus also has a bitter taste, which is probably due to potash and other inorganic matte;- present. By my process I remove Application filed January 7, 1918.

'savor in the finislie Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

sci-1.11m. 210,120.

the greater part of the potash and inor anic matter making the plant more dcsirab e as :l luOd.

A. preferred form of my process is as follows:

T ne cactus is gathered and then cooked, preferably in a solution to soften the spines.

I have found that a mixture of ordinary table salt or sodium chlorid and cooking soda or mono-sodium carbonate dissolved in water answers the purpose well. The cooking, which the plant is subjected to, loosens the bond between the leaves and the spines and softens the latter. The salt and soda act as a seasoning producing a desirable c product overcoming the bitter taste. The cooking solution dissolving out a. high proportion of the potash and inorganic salts. The leaf .is then much better tasting. The solution described above is also used for the purpose of assisting in loosening the spines. Cookin will :n-cmnplish the removal of; substantially all the small spines. It also breaks down the structure of the leaf, and further, loosens the large spines, espcciallynt the root of the latter wlrerethey arefconnected to the fiber.

Cooking alone is not sufiicient to remove the spines and I agitabo'the leaves While cooking so as to loosen the spines by rubbing and abrasion. tumbler. The wall of the tumbler is-made of 'foraminatcd material preferably of wire screen. The tumbler is operated in a cooking vat containing water in which the cooking soda and salt are dissolved. Pieces of heavy material having abrasive surfaces are placed in the tumbler to assist in the operation. The fresh leaves are placedin the tumbler cylinder with the abrasive material and the cylinder then rotated. Various other agitating devices may be used in place of the tumbler, and I do not confine myself to the use of this device. This process completely loosens the spines at their roots.

The liquor obtained from cooking contains much potash and is therefore valu'able. It

sis

This'I prefer to do in a is withdrawn and collected for use because itself readily to being pressed 'into cakes,-

makin it convenient fo packing and shipment.

The finished product in meal or flour form is white in color, but on the addition of water, becomes green. It has all the nutri tive qualities of the untreated leaf, is devoid of the POlSonous spines and finc burs so harmful to stock and will keep indefinitely. The product has a starchy content almost as .hi h as that of corn, and a food value in .c'aorie's almost as great- Analysis of a sample has shown 68.68% of carbohydrates and a food value of 1416 pound calories What I claim is; 1. The process of t'witing cactus which consists in cooking the plant in a softening solution containing sodium chlorid and.

mono-carbonate, and separating the plant and liquor resulting from the cooking.

2. The process' of treatingplants having spines, which consists in cooking the plant in a softening. solution containing sodium chlorid and mono-sodium carbonate, and removing the spines therefrom.

3. The process oftreating'plants having spinesnvhich consists in cooking the ,plant in a softening solution containing sodium 'chlorid and mono-sodium carbonate, removing the spines therefrom, drying the product, grinding the dried product to form a meal, and separating the burs from the meal. I

4. The process of treating plantshaving spines, which consists in 'cooking'the plant in a solution containing sodium chlorid and mono-sodium carbonate, and agitating the plant while cooking to"1'emove the spines therefrom.

5. The process of treating plants having spines, which consists in cooking the plant in a solution containing sodium chlorid and mono-sodium carbonate, agitating the plant while cooking to remove the spines therefrom, drying the product, grinding the dried product to form a meal, and separating the burs from the meal.

6. The process of treatingplants having spines, which consists in cooking the plant in a solution containing SOClllll'll chlorid and mono-sodium carbonate, and tumbling the plant while cooking to remove the spines.

7. The process of treating plants having spines, which consist in cooking the plants in a solution containing sodiumehlorid and mono-sodium carbonate, tumbling the plant while cooking to remove the spines, drying the product, grinding-the driedproduct to form a meal and separating the burs from the meal.

8; The product cactus in a solution containing sodium chlo- -rid and mono-sodium carbonate.

9. The product resulting from cooking cactus in a solution containing sodium chlorid and mono'sodium carbonate, and drainin thc'liquor therefrom.

' n witness that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto subscribed my name, this.31st

day of December, 1917.

FRANK .H. BRYANT.

resulting from cooking. 

